TAMPA, Fla. — The website for a new development on Kennedy Boulevard promises the building will "honor the natural beauty of its setting." But according to a local advocacy group, that's not the case if seven live oak trees are cut down to make way for construction.
Members of the Tampa Tree Advocacy Group (TTAG) spent their weekend protesting outside the construction site at the corner of South Parker Street and Kennedy Boulevard, hoping to save the trees — and draw attention to what they say is a much larger problem.
Neighbors question why trees must go
Donna Date-Smith, who lives right off Kennedy just before downtown, told Tampa Bay 28 she wasn't surprised to see a new development pop up in an area that's growing by the day. But one thing caught her off guard, she said.
"From the street in, so much belongs to the city. It's actually the taxpayers that own the trees, not their property line," Date-Smith said.
According to Date-Smith, the seven live oak trees sit partially on the public right-of-way, which typically belongs to the city — not the private developer. Still, the trees are slated for removal, she said.
Permission granted, mitigation planned
Alison Date, a co-founder of TTAG, told Tampa Bay 28 she's been tracking the project for months.
"I checked on it and asked one of the arborists at that time, and she said no, they have gotten permission to cut the trees, but they're gonna mitigate them, which means put some other trees on the property," Date said.
According to Date, mitigation typically involves planting replacement trees elsewhere on the property. But advocates argue that newly planted saplings can't replace decades of growth — or the environmental benefits mature trees provide, she said.
The Bigger Picture: Tampa's Declining Tree Canopy
While the group is fighting for these seven trees, Date said the real concern is citywide.
"Every five years they do a survey on what's happening with the canopy, and it's declining. It's been declining since we started this seven years ago, and that is not changing. And so once the trees are gone, they're gone," Date told Tampa Bay 28.
According to the City of Tampa, the area lost 5% of its tree canopy during the 2024 hurricane season alone. TTAG members say losses were already mounting long before the storms hit.
Why trees matter
Carol Anne Bennett, another TTAG co-founder, told Tampa Bay 28 the importance of preserving Tampa's tree canopy — especially in a flood-prone coastal city — cannot be overstated.
"The trees are vital to our health and to our environment. They mitigate flooding. They're one of the best things we have to mitigate flooding," Bennett said.
Date-Smith pointed to another everyday benefit: shade.
"People park on this side when they have a choice, just like in Publix they go for the trees. Why? Because it's like 20 degrees cooler when you get back to your car," she said.
City Response: State Law Limits Local Control
In a statement to Tampa Bay 28 on Sunday, the City of Tampa acknowledged the challenges facing local tree protection efforts.
A city spokesperson said state law limits Tampa's ability to stop tree removals on private property, but added that enhancing the tree canopy remains a top priority for Mayor Jane Castor and City Council members.
The city also stated that in July, it surpassed the halfway mark of Mayor Castor's goal to plant 30,000 trees by 2030.
Read the full statement from the City of Tampa below:
"Unfortunately, the state legislator has made it much harder for cities to limit tree removals on private property, but enhancing our tree canopy is a top priority of Mayor Castor and City Council members. In July we surpassed the halfway mark of Mayor Castor's goal of planting 30,000 trees by 2030."
'A voice for the trees'
Despite the uphill battle, TTAG members told Tampa Bay 28 they'll keep speaking out.
"We just want to be a voice for the trees. Unfortunately we may not be able to save these trees, but we're hoping that by speaking out, maybe we can prevent the loss of future trees," Bennett said.
Tampa Bay 28 reached out to the development group behind the project for comment but has not yet received a response.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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